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Online Workshop - Colour Wheel: Clay Moccasins & Braids

with Geanna Dunbar

Great for classrooms, children, or families. Learn about the history and impacts of residential schools. Participants will create their own moccasin and braided sculptures using air-dry clay.

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This interactive youth workshop is designed to educate participants about the history and impacts of residential schools. Through guided discussion and creative exploration, participants will create their own moccasin and braided sculptures using air-dry clay, allowing them to form a personal, artistic connection to the learning experience.

Recommended Materials:
Air-dry clay (approx 1 cup per person), Sculpting tools, Presentation materials (PowerPoint, handouts, etc.), Water and wipes for cleanup

Air Dry Clay Recipe: (makes approx. 3 cups of clay)
2 cups baking soda
1.5 cups water
1 cup cornstarch

Combine baking soda, water, and cornstarch in a saucepan and cook over medium heat (stirring constantly) until a soft dough is formed. Let cool and store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. Once shaped into artworks, let items sit for at least 12-36 hours or until completely dried/hardened.

Workshop Objectives:
Educate participants about residential schools
Explore the cultural significance of braids and moccasins
Discuss the historical context of cultural genocide
Engage participants in a hands-on art activity that reinforces learning through creativity

Takeaways:
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the lasting impacts of residential schools on Indigenous peoples
Each participant will take home their clay moccasin and braid as a meaningful keepsake—serving both as a personal artwork and a reminder of the history and teachings shared

Follow-Up Suggestions:
Encourage participants to connect with local Indigenous communities or organizations to learn about ongoing initiatives and support efforts toward cultural preservation

This workshop honors the past while empowering youth to engage thoughtfully and creatively with Indigenous history.

Geanna Dunbar is a Cree-Métis German spoken word poet, visual artist, body modification artist, and entrepreneur from Regina with a special interest in sustainable art and interdisciplinary community collaboration. Geanna works in mixed media collage, sculpture, acrylic, street art, chalkboard, window painting, and large-scale murals. She is now YWCA 2024 Women of Distinction Award Winner for Indigenous Resurgence in Action. Her work with The Path of Reconciliation, the longest mural in Saskatchewan - went internationally featured in the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington and published in Hyperallergic Magazine based out of Brooklyn, NY. The Path to Reconciliation has been shortlisted for Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Community Engagement and is now a Pinnacle Award Winner in the International Downtown Association's (IDA) annual awards program for its significant contribution to downtown improvement and community engagement

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